Crispy Sweet Potato Fries with Feta Dipping Sauce
Fries Fries Fries Fries Fries!
The above is a pretty accurate script of what’s going on in my mind when I’m supposed to be eating healthy. Chicken and veggies for a couple days in a row really makes a woman go crazy, am I right? As much as I love Instagram, sticking to a healthy diet isn’t easy when I’m scrolling past a steamy Pint House Mac & Cheese skillet on my feed. Eye candy is great until my stomach starts grumbling and I want anything other than carrots and peas.
I thought there were no good substitutes for my late night french fry cravings until as of late. But then,
Sweet potatoes.
Sweet potatoes might be my top fave veggie of 2017. Why? See my Sweet Potato Brownies here, they’ll change your life. Not to mention all of the other great things sweet potatoes can be used for! I’ll get into all of those things another day, because today I have one thing on my mind and that thing(s) are french fries.
My second favorite part about sweet potato fries (the first favorite being they’re way healthier than their original counterparts) is that they’re super easy to make! Just peel the potato, chop into evenly sized matchsticks, mix in a large bowl with a little olive oil and your preferred seasonings, bake, and you’re good to go. I’ve seen a lot of people who prefer their sweet potato fries as a dessert, adding cinnamon sugar and dipping into icing. I’m drooling.
As for me, I like eating my fries as a substitute for veggies at dinnertime, because that seems like the time when I’m having junk food cravings the most. For best results to achieve crispy fries, you could add a little cornstarch to the seasonings which will help crisp them up in the oven. Because I don’t typically keep cornstarch or arrowroot powder at home, I use a different method. At least an hour before I plan to roast my fries, I let the matchsticks soak in ice water for an hour. I’m not a scientist so don’t ask me why this works. It just does! I also turn my oven on to broil for the last few minutes of baking (but be careful, leave it on broil for just a minute too long and you’ll have some black fries).
PS how CUTE is this little step-by-step graphic from Camille Styles? Would it be weird if I framed it and hung it in my room? Probably..
Enjoy!
Crispy Sweet Potato Fries with Feta Dipping Sauce
Swap out your regular fries for this heathier (and I think tastier) alternative! Sweet potatoes for the win.
Ingredients
For the Fries
- 2 sweet potatoes
- 2 tbsp olive or coconut oil
- 1 tsp salt
- 1/2 tsp cayenne
- 1/2 tsp cumin
- 4 tsp cornstarch, if desired
- non-stick cooking spray
For the Feta Dip
- 1/4 cup feta cheese
- 1/4 cup plain Greek yogurt
- 1 tbsp lemon juice
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 1 tsp black pepper
- 1 pinch parsley
Instructions
For the Fries
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Peel the sweet potatoes and cut them into evenly-sized matchsticks. Put them in a bowl full of ice water. Let them soak for 1 hour or up to overnight. After they are finished soaking, dry the potato pieces with a towel.
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Preheat oven to 425 degrees F.
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Line 2 baking sheets with foil and spray with non-stick spray.
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Mix the sweet potato sticks in a large bowl with olive oil, seasonings, and cornstarch (if desired). Arrange the fries on the prepared pans in a single layer, so they are not touching.
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Set the timer for 15 minutes. After the first 15 minutes, flip over all fries with tongs so that both sides are evenly baked.
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Bake for another 10-15 minutes. When the fries are close to finishing, I prefer to turn my oven to "Broil" to get them one last crisp. Be careful to not leave them on broil for too long, or they will burn!
For the Feta Dipping Sauce:
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Add all ingredients for the dip except parsley into a high-speed blender and mix until the chunks of feta are smooth. Pour the sauce into a ramekin and sprinkle with parsley. Dip and enjoy!
